Nigerian international forward Kelechi Iheanacho returned to the scoring charts on Friday evening when he found the net for Bursaspor against Antalyaspor at the Antalya Stadium. The match ended in a 1-1 draw, with Iheanacho opening the scoring in the 26th minute after being picked out by Amine Boutrah's delivery.
The former Leicester City striker had threatened to find the breakthrough earlier in the encounter, but his initial effort came off the side post. He continued to trouble the Antalyaspor defence and came close to doubling his team's advantage just six minutes after scoring, but Boutrah again delivered a cross that Iheanacho could not direct on target.
Bursaspor's lead did not last until halftime, when Toral Bayramov scored an own goal that restored parity for the hosts. In the second half, Iheanacho produced another fine finish, but the effort was ruled out for offside following an infringement in the build-up. Both teams eventually settled for a draw.
Despite missing out on all three points, the goal will come as a welcome boost for Iheanacho, who returned to the scoresheet after his remarkable goalscoring sequence came to an end in Bursaspor's 3-0 victory over Bandirmaspor last weekend. Before that fixture, the 30-year-old had found the net 16 times in 12 consecutive league matches, establishing a new record in Turkish football with his remarkable consistency in front of goal.
His 17th strike further underlines the impressive form he has carried since arriving in Turkey, with the Super Eagles forward quickly establishing himself as one of Bursaspor's most influential attacking players. Having ended his historic scoring run last weekend, Iheanacho will be encouraged by his return to the scoresheet and will now look to build another productive spell as Bursaspor continues its campaign.